Thursday, September 24, 2009

the unabstract

There's a lot going on these days!

We're working hard on our new house. Yesterday Jon, Tyson and I spent the day there. We took a sledge hammer and pick axe to a slab of concrete in our backyard -- broke it up and piled chuncks of concrete in the alley. Someone had already started a small pile against the fense across the alley from our yard, so we began to add our labor to it. Then a man came out of the house next to the lot where we were piling stones and told us we couldn't dump rocks on his line. So we had to move the pile we'd created, as well as the stones that were already there, back across the alley against our own fense. Somehow, this man telling us to remove the concrete from his line added fuel to an argument with another neighbor, who came out to tell us not to really mind the first guy. We preceded to move the concrete, while the two men argued across the lot, threatening violence and death and all manner of harm to one another. In our conversations with either man, I don't think we were able to make clear that we were going to be living there. But I do think we were able to end on good terms with both of them, even if they weren't able to with one another.

There is something incredibley satisfying about destroying slabs of concrete with a hammer and tossing them. It's even better working together with someone else. Jon and I had a great rhythm going. And I think he's probably the most tireless worker I know.

After a long day of hauling stone I worked at a paying job for the first time since I moved to Detroit. Tutoring at kumon was a great experience, though it was more formal than I expected. I did a bit more grading and checking assignments than I did helping students with their assignments. But it was fun nonentheless. And I'm getting paid to do it.

Today at the house we hope to sand the floors and put down a layer of lacquer.

This weekend, I get to go to the Penn State vs. Iowa game with my dad. It's this year's White Out! Follwing the game, a trip to Rochester for a day, packing in as much time with friends and family as possible. Monday I return to Detroit, and could start getting subbing calls as early as Tuesday!